Mantar - The Wrath of Hornuk the Great demo '98

Mantar - The Wrath of Hornuk the Great remaster 2005
1) The Woods Are Our Temple
2) Sodomized for the Cult
3) Gathering of Vicious Souls
4) Unholy Conquest
5) Feast on Satan's Cunt
6) The Wrath of Hornuk the Great
7) Cult of the Witchdemon (The Second Coming)

How about a non-metal contribution today, just for change? This here thing was sent by our comrade zargonath a few months ago and it's (according to the note included) Mantar from France, not to be mixed with the reasonably well-known current German one. Our subject was formed by two men in 1996 who went by the nom de guerres Lord Tenebro Maleficium and Lord Silvins Mortificus, made this demo and disbanded in '99. Lord Tenebro killed himself a year later so slight scent of cult may be detected melding into the usual gravestench and tombmusk. Judging from the cover my educated guess would be that this was released as a CDr but I might be mistaken (remaster was, original was on tape so 50/50).

The first track starts with an odd glitchy sound which I'm certain is not part of the experience before moving unto soft tolling sounds followed by an extremely familiar bit which is stolenborrowed sampled(?) from somewhere very well known but I can't remember it now damn this is frustrating!!! Help me out someone less demented and I'll edit this later (it was Dimmu Borgir's Master of Disharmony, 1996 EP version! Thanks Eugene!). Right, it goes on for quite long, repetitive as expected, but effective despite the nagging familiarity (is it from a soundtrack? I know this damn it!) with some additional elements tossed in like slightly pompous sounding accented voices. The second track goes on with the same dramatic, soundtrackesque dungeon synth feel and most likely as a residual trauma from the first track I find myself wondering if I've encountered these sounds somewhere before. Third song, surprisingly... uh, mellow, despite its name allows me to shake of the mental shackle and enjoy the cheese. Last song re-introduces the vocals, one a normal spoken voice and the other a malicious black metal style hiss. My initial frown quickly softens as the voices are used very sparingly and well enough. To my surprise the track suddenly ends, almost prematurely and the demo itself with it, leaving me feeling a mite peckish. This is actually better than I remembered from the original, extensive two playthroughs session back whenever. Apparently another one that is best listened to at least twice in row. Standout track: number three.

UPDATE: It appears this might be incomplete which would explain how it felt too short. Comrade Eugene sent me a full version of seven tracks with an inlay, appearently the cover is from a 2005 remastered version. I wonder if it is expanded also or was the copy zargonath had just weirdly incomplete. Priests are now investigating, please wait warmly...

UPDATEII: After a brief yet vigorous inquisition it appears the remastered seven song version sent by Eugene does sound a bit different and the songs seem slightly longer. Perhaps the speed is a wee bit different(it was a brief and vigorous not thorough inquisiton after all!). It is still uncertain to me if the original demo was really just four songs and the remaster is an expanded version or if it actually managed to miss three songs scattered in between the rest! For now I've decided to have both available, personally I like the fuzzier, more dungeony original sound better and haven't really had time to properly listen to the additional new content, so to say. Oh yeah, apparently the bio crap I picked up elsewhere (U-tube) was a pile of pig entrails as the remaster cover's linear notes seem to contradict them (ol' Tenebro's passing was not of the permanent sort for starters and he hogs all credit there, no mention of Silvins in sight). Odour of kvlt turns to sour reek of falsehood.

10 kommenttia:

I've found Mantar "The Wrath of Hornuk the Great" listed in the 2003 Elven Witchcraft distro catalogue as a tape. Perhaps there was a CDr release later. Regarding the "borrowed" sample, I find the male choir of the first track very similar to Graveland and Lord Wind's male choirs. Keep the good work, your blog is probably one of the last places -if not the only- for getting long forgotten tapes.

Not surprising it'd appear there! Might've been on an earlier list too. And tape is really more likely for the era.

@Eugene:

Great, another incomplete thing. Well, thanks for sending the whole demo, no wonder it felt like it ended abruptly! This is why I probably should not accept contributions I can't find proper info online or that do not have covers. Must reupload and rewrite the entry later.

Don't worry, Velkarn, that contribution (and entry) should be welcome because it led us to the complete work. I always thought that the Mantar's "Hornuk" had 4 tracks, and now I read that it has 7. We know that now because you made an entry in your blog, then Eugene read it and contributed with that rare material. Enjoyable chain of events!

Yeah, it's useful knowledge for certain. Comparing the items, they sound different and the song lengths differs slightly as well. I think I'll add the remastered full version's tracklisting and upload while keeping the old four tracks version too. I kinda like the sound there better for now!

About This Blog

The purpose of this blog is to share old & forgotten recordings of (mainly) black/death metal and ambient/dungeon synth projects - releases that are no longer available, are hard to find in original form or found only in "difficult" formats.
IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH AION! I hate MMORPGs.
Buy shit by artists you support and go see them play live. Don't be just another parasite.
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CONTACT: ascoven@priest.com

A Few Words More

Several old links may be dead. Please request reupload via email or comment. I'll see what happens and when.

A comrade is looking for some old Singaporean demos, please get in touch if you have any of these:

Messerschmitt - War 1990

Rectum - Human Error 1990

Monsier - Rotten 1992

Morbific - Obscure Dreams 1993

Mumbra - Mysticism 1990

Crucifucktor - Demo 1989

Totenkopf - Malay Regiment Terrorisma 2006 (well, this one is new)

If you have a scanner, old 'zines and too much time on your hands, scan the 'zines and get in touch with me! I'm most interested in 90's and early 00's mags dealing with black metal. I'm currently most interested in Asian 'zines (90's) and black/death metal 'zines circa '91-'96.